Can You Fix It?

It took more than six years for Jane ni Dhulchaointigh and a team of scientists to perfect her idea for a moldable, self-adhesive, and self-curing silicone material, but it only takes about six seconds to become totally enthralled with her brilliant invention.
Derived from the Irish word “súgradh,” which means “play,” sugru is a bit like modeling clay. It’s malleable when you first take it out of the sealed package, and it retains its plasticity for about 30 minutes. It can adhere to metal, glass, fabric and most plastics. It’s waterproof, and it cures at room temperature after about 24 hours.
Sugru is good for anything that needs fixing, modifying, customizing, or cushioning. Instead of throwing away a blender with a broken switch, you can make a new switch out of sugru. Disintegrating grip on your golf club? Hole in your sneakers? Missing piece on your keyboard? Patch them with sugru. Worried about dropping your camera or smartphone? Wrap the corners with sugru for extra protection. The possibilities are endless.
We’re all conscious about extending the lifespan of our things, both to save money and to reduce the amount of items sent prematurely to landfills. sugru makes it easy—and fun—to be resourceful.

sugru

Self Setting Rubber

Can You Fix It?

It took more than six years for Jane ni Dhulchaointigh and a team of scientists to perfect her idea for a moldable, self-adhesive, and self-curing silicone material, but it only takes about six seconds to become totally enthralled with her brilliant invention.
Derived from the Irish word “súgradh,” which means “play,” sugru is a bit like modeling clay. It’s malleable when you first take it out of the sealed package, and it retains its plasticity for about 30 minutes. It can adhere to metal, glass, fabric and most plastics. It’s waterproof, and it cures at room temperature after about 24 hours.
Sugru is good for anything that needs fixing, modifying, customizing, or cushioning. Instead of throwing away a blender with a broken switch, you can make a new switch out of sugru. Disintegrating grip on your golf club? Hole in your sneakers? Missing piece on your keyboard? Patch them with sugru. Worried about dropping your camera or smartphone? Wrap the corners with sugru for extra protection. The possibilities are endless.
We’re all conscious about extending the lifespan of our things, both to save money and to reduce the amount of items sent prematurely to landfills. sugru makes it easy—and fun—to be resourceful.

Grommet Launch Conversation

Grommet Launch Conversation

Jane

Hello! I'm Jane.

I'm an inventor on a mission!

I really believe we shouldn't have to buy new stuff every time something breaks or doesn't work properly.

That's why I invented sugru - I want to make it easy for anyone to repair, adapt, and improve their stuff to make it work better for them. For example have you ever had a great pair of shoes that got worn only once because they gave you a blister? Or a can-opener that digs into your hand every time you use it? The solution shouldn't be to have to buy more new stuff.

Everyone has their own problem to solve with sugru... what might yours be?

Elle

11/4/2011 12:05 PM

Is it toxic?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:10 PM

Hi Elle, thanks for asking! no it's not toxic but it's not food-grade so you shouldn't use it in direct contact with food or drink. What are you thinking you could use it for?

Amy Bielawski

11/4/2011 12:22 PM

@Jane ni Dhulchaointigh: So you cannot use it to fix dishes, glasses, etc?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:35 PM

@Amy Bielawski: Hi Amy, you can fix dishes and pans etc but on the outside rather than inside. For example quite a lot of people repair or replace knobs on saucepan lids, or handles of mugs.

Jan Patterson RN

11/4/2011 12:13 PM

Jane, this is BRILLIANT. I've got so many ideas for uses already- things I'm not ready to part with, or need to improve [I really like the messenger bag 'drier' hack!]. *puts on my list of things to add to ready-tools*

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:15 PM

@Jan Patterson RN: Hey Jan - awesome! yes sugru does bond quite well to fabric so it's a pretty effective way of waterproofing some items - I was thinking of making knee pads on gardening jeans for example :)

russ neff

11/4/2011 12:21 PM

It looks like a really great product.

And I have ordered some

Is it available in large volume quart/gallon sizes?

Does it shrink much when it hardens?

Do you get actual adhesion, like a glue, from this product?

Or does the part you use it on have to have something to grab like a cloth?

Thanks

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:32 PM

@russ neff: Hi Ruff - lots of questions! Thanks for ordering :) At the moment we sell it in small individual use pieces because people mainly use it for small jobs. But yes we do special orders if you have a project that requires a larger amount. Because it cures once it's exposed to the air, we pack it in sizes that can be used all at once. It shrinks a very small amount perhaps 1-2% when it cures, but this isn't noticable for most jobs. Yes - you get very good adhesive bond to most materials, particularly glass, ceramics, aluminium, steel and hard plastics like ABS (laptops etc) and plexiglas. However if you do eventually want to remove it, if the surface is non-porous, you can.

Sarah

11/4/2011 12:21 PM

where is this product made?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:26 PM

@Sarah: good question! In our own small factory in East London. We do now have a Company in the US however, and we ship orders from Michigan :)

Deirdre

11/4/2011 12:23 PM

Jan, once you have some the reasons to use it just keep turning up. I have used up half my multipack already and I only got it a week ago. The little packs are great to give to friends as well. My fave winter shoes sprung a leak, so they are fixed, and dust was getting into my cellphone, so I made a cover for the charge port! It's like blue-tak and duct tape had a baby.

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:37 PM

@Deirdre Tobin: Hi Deirdre - cool to hear it's come in so useful nice and fast! That's a cool idea to make a plug for the charge port :) When you give it to friends is it because they've mentioned a problem to you that you think it can fix?

Deirdre

11/4/2011 12:50 PM

@Jane ni Dhulchaointigh: Actually, to be honest no, just people I think would get a kick out of it and who like to be a part of a more sustainable culture. Probably partly as an excuse to chat about my own fixes and brag a little about it being Irish.

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:58 PM

@Deirdre Tobin: well that's cool too! I think it's really like you found, once you do one successful fix, you get a bit hooked into wanting to solve problems, and wanting other people to get the same little buzz - the solution doesn't have to be sugru, it's cool to see people embrace repairing in general - when you do a good repair you actually get a little buzz don't you? :-)

Deb

11/4/2011 12:29 PM

When does this particular batch expire? (My last batch hardened before I used it all.)

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:34 PM

@Deb: Hi Deb - ooh sorry to hear that. These packs have a use-by date of first week of August 2012 - but we have a new tip - if you keep your sugru in the fridge it'll last twice as long.

Michelle

11/4/2011 1:09 PM

Hi Jane, I love the possibilities for this product! Sorry, I have a bunch of questions about it:

After it's hardened, is it not sticky at all? Or does it still have some grippy quality to it - is it more rubbery or more smooth plasticky? I watched your video showing putting "bumpers" on an iPhone - once the bumpers are pulled off, could you then stick them back on or would they just fall off?

Once it's expired, is the only thing you can do with sugru basically throw it away? The substance seems to be more toxic (and therefore not a good sub for play dough or something) - is it basically the equivalent of eating plastic, and if a kid ate it, would I have to take him/her to the ER or would it be ok to let it "pass" through? Is it biodegradable or recyclable? Does it render otherwise recyclable materials (i.e. stuff that goes in the blue bin) non-recyclable? If not recyclable, maybe you could have some sort of trade-in plan where the expired stuff could be sent back to you?

Again, sorry for the questions - I would like to give some to a great organisation that works with kids but I need to be able to give them full details before I do!

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 1:36 PM

@Michelle: Hi Michelle - questions are great :) After it's cured, it's more velvety than tacky, but it does have some grip to it. If you want to make it have more grip, I'd suggest you texture it.

It's more rubbery than plasticy.

If you pull the sugru off again, no it won't be able to stick to anything, although it does stick to itself, so you could use a small amount to stick it back on.

I'd suggest you try not to let your sugru expire, because it's much less useful if you let it get old. What happens is it loses it's strength and elasticity.

In terms of safety, it's not toxic, but you're right it's not edible or food safe or child safe - it's not for children so we advise keeping it out of their reach. Treat it like you'd treat for example super-glue. Fine for teenagers, but not children :)

sugru isn't biodegradable - it's silicone and very long lasting and durable. It should last for years and years once it's applied successfully, and therefore help extend the life of things. Silicone is in theory recyclable but there isn't an infrastructure in place yet in most cities. We hope that people use up all their sugru, and make good use of it, and if it looks like it won't be used by the use-by date then share it with friends or something.

Hope that helps!

Nadine Hagen

11/4/2011 1:40 PM

How long does it last unopened or opened ?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 1:52 PM

@Nadine Hagen: Hi Nadine - unopened it lasts at least 6 months and if you keep it in the fridge about twice as long. These packs for example have a use-by date of early August 2012 stored at 70 Degrees Farenheit. If you store it in the fridge, it'll last about 6 months longer.

There are 12 mini packs in every pouch. Once you open a minipack, you'll need to use it within about half an hour to an hour.

What might you do with it? :-)

melissa

11/4/2011 2:46 PM

I am so excited about this product! I have been a grommet member for 6 months and have seen many products that interested me, but sugru is honestly the first item that I immediately said I need that! So, You are my first grommet purchase. I run an in home day care center and my husband plays bass guitar for the army band. We love to hack our environment and this is going to be so helpful. I cant wait to receive our first order!

Jules – Grommet Team

11/4/2011 3:06 PM

@melissa shattuck: I was touched by your comment. I love the idea that you hung out with us for six months because of your general interest in learning about interesting product and the people behind them. Your attention (not just your dollars) is really really valuable to these hard-working inventors and innovators. But I am also grateful for your purchase because it helps us continue to uncover these stories for you every day. I hope you love Sugru. I used it to fix a little odd sculpture that my (little odd) brother gave me. He recently died and it is one of only two things I own that he gave me. So Sugru already has a special place in my heart, next to the one I reserve for Todd.

Melissa E Shattuck

11/5/2011 10:26 AM

@Jules Pieri: Jules, I just wanted to thank you for your personal reply to my comment. I have really enjoyed getting the daily grommet emails and checking out all the cool, interesting, and useful items that you guys feature! I am inspired by the inventors that you all bring to our attention daily. I also want to thank you for sharing the comment about your brother. I particularly love your comment about his odd little sculpture. (I truly have an affinity for odd little sculptures...which is wonderful as most of my toddler/preschoolers make odd little sculptures for me)I will think of you both as I use my Sugru in my hacking experiments. (And also...even tho I never met Todd...because of your loving comments..I now too have a special place in my heart for him as well!)All my best...Melissa

Jules – Grommet Team

11/5/2011 6:35 PM

@Melissa E Shattuck: Thank you for your warm thoughts, your understanding and appreciating odd little sculptures and the people who make them. And thank you for your daily enthusiasm for the Grommets and their creators. We share a lot of bonds here, you and I!

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 3:19 PM

@melissa shattuck: cool! keep us posted how you get on. If you have a hack you're particularly happy with send us a picture for our gallery - pictures help inspire other people to do the same :-) Plus we give out prizes for the coolest ones. Have fun!

Melissa E Shattuck

11/5/2011 10:15 AM

@Jane ni Dhulchaointigh: It hasnt been 24 hours since I placed my order and I have already had couple ideas for my shipment of sugru...so far I am planning on 1. hacking a pen holder for one of my eraser boards in my classroom area. 2. I am going to hack a cover for the gear changing lever on our motorcycle...I noticed that the bare metal scuffs my shoes because of the constant changing...and I think this might just be a perfect place for sugru!

When I get my shipment I will do some experiments and let you guys know the results!

Melissa Shattuck

2/23/2012 2:51 PM

@ Jane ni Dhulchaointigh: I love this product...I have found several uses already. I Had some carpet tacks sticking up near the back door...I was able to match the carpet color and put the Sugru over the tacks so that the babys dont get stuck anymore. I also installed a slide lock on the back door and used the Sugru to make a stop so that it doesn't slide off when I unlock the door.

I made a foot for my marble cheese stand that has needed a foot for 3 years!

I covered the gear shift changer on my motorcycle so it doesn't scuff my shoes when I change gears...

And my best use so far is I made my taller "feet" for the back side of my dish drainer tray so that it drains more effectively. I also covered the actual feet of the dish rack so that it does not slide so easily.

I am also going make feet for my older laptop so that it doesnt slide around on the fan mat.

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

2/23/2012 4:01 PM

@Melissa Shattuck: It's so wonderful of you to stop by & share all the creative hacking you did. It's certainly a great testament to the versatility & effectiveness of this putty Sugru. You've given me some great hacking ideas too. Thanks!

Jane – Special Guest

2/24/2012 5:16 AM

@Melissa Shattuck: Wow! You've done loads! The door slider sounds cool - sometimes it's those little things we use all the time that are the most satisfying, right? We'd love you to share your hacks with the sugru community if you'd like to. It's called gurus - go to the sugru website, and you'll find the link. The key is to help other people be able to do the same as you! Hope to see you there :) Jane.

Amy Pack

11/4/2011 2:54 PM

hi, i think i love your product. i haven't tried it yet but i have a kabillion things in mind. i am a jewelry designer, could i use this as my molding material? or even as a pendant with beads or crystals pushed into it?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 3:23 PM

@Amy Pack: Hi Amy, cool! well, sugru is designed to stick so it's not ideal as a molding material, however people do use it successfully for small molding projects - I've seen people cast pewter into a small two part mold made with sugru, and flat resin shapes cast into a small relief mold. The best release material to use with sugru if you want to make an impression of something is soapy water which stops it sticking. And yes - embedding beads and crystals in sugru looks fantastic! With crystals, be sure to get the foil backed type so that the light reflects well even with the dark sugru behind. Keep us posted what you make with sugru! Like I said to Melissa, we love getting pictures for our gallery to inspire more people and we have a hack of the month contest too where you can win lots of free sugru :)

Amy Pack

Lori

11/4/2011 3:35 PM

Just wondering if it holds up to heat?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 3:42 PM

@Lori: Hi Lori - good question :) Once sugru is used and cured, it'll withstand temps of up to around 180C / 360F and down to -50C / -58F. So it's good enough for boiling water and most hot environments, but not really for sticking in the oven. What are you thinking of using it for?

Len

11/4/2011 4:12 PM

This sounds like the neatest product, exactly the type of thing I joined this site to see. (I just signed up last week so this the 3 rd product I've seen.

I wonder does it adhere to concrete and wood so I can use it to patch a hole in the frame of my garage door with wood door on one side and concrete on the other?

Jules – Grommet Team

11/4/2011 4:33 PM

@Len : Hi Len! I'm the co-founder of Daily Grommet. I'm glad we found Sugru for you. What other kinds of products are you interested in? We want to do a good job for you. Here are some of our other Problem Solvers that might get your wheels turning: http://www.thegrommet.com/products/home/home-problem-solvers

Deirdre

11/4/2011 4:33 PM

@Len : Someone on the sugru site used it to mount a webcam on an external brick wall, so probably, yeah. http://sugru.com/gallery/show/security-webcam-mounted-where-i-need-it

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 4:52 PM

@Len : Hi Len, yes it bonds well to both concrete and wood. It should work pretty well depending on the size of the hole :)

Janice

11/4/2011 9:21 PM

Sugru looks amazing and I can think of lots of uses for it. There is one I'm wondering about though. My husband's leather covered chair has a split in the upholstery on one arm. Do you think Sugru will work to repair this? Also, is it possible to blend colors at all? The chair is a dark blue. I was thinking a combination of blue and black might be the least noticeable.

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/5/2011 8:58 AM

@Janice: We agree that it is amazing! I found this picture in the Sugru gallery of someone who repaired similar material:

http://sugru.com/us/gallery/show/repaired-old-camera-case

.

Jules – Grommet Team

11/5/2011 9:16 AM

@Janice: You can blend colors. If you really need to fill a gap then I think Sugru could be perfect. It would feel "right" next to the leather and the blue and black could be hopefully blended to get a perfect match.

If you can imagine pulling the split together and fusing it back with a separate piece of backing material, then I think you should look at using Tear Mender instead: http://www.thegrommet.com/products/243-tear-mender-fabric-adhesive It is another DIY miracle worker and is able to handle a ton of tension from the two sides of the split trying to pull apart. It is also silicone based and was originally invented to repair farm tractor belts. Its specialty is fabric and leather.

Janice

11/8/2011 7:43 PM

@Jules Pieri: Actually, I ordered both Sugru and Tear Mender so I should definitely be able to repair tht chair!

denise

11/5/2011 11:30 AM

I have two frameless mirrors, approx 2ft x 3ft. Can I use this to hang them with? Is there a weight limit?

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/7/2011 12:05 AM

@denise adams: Sugru can be used to hang light weight objects such as keys, but it is not intended to be a structural material. Its true purpose is to adapt surfaces.

Jules – Grommet Team

11/6/2011 10:54 AM

I'm thrilled with a hack I just did. I have been trying to repair two bathroom lights for six years. Yes, I said six years. They have a black plastic "grate" over them...kind of an industrial chic look. A piece of grate on each broke off and went missing when we rented the house out. I have used black electrical tape to "fake" the grate. It never worked. It looked ridiculous. But I didn't want to replace the lights. I still like them. So...Sugru to the rescue. I loved that I could work with the material for 10 or so minutes and get it just right. And with the high heat tolerance of Sugru, I am optimistic this hack will hold. Thanks Jane!

Jane – Special Guest

11/7/2011 6:13 AM

@Jules Pieri: Hi Jules - that's awesome! Keep us posted how it works out for you and if you're happy with it send a pic for the gallery :)

Beth

11/6/2011 6:48 PM

My dog had jumped on our plastic outside gate and the rungs are loose from the piece running along the top. Will it adhere plastics to plastic and stay during could and hot weather.

Jane – Special Guest

11/7/2011 6:10 AM

@Beth: Hi Beth - oh dear :) sugru is fine with high and low temperatures but it doesn't bond to all plastics. It bonds excellently to hard plastics like ABS which is used for most electronic products like computers etc but not so well to more oily plastics like polyethylene or polypropylene. It turns out that does stick to some PVC - hard plumbing pipe, doors or windows for example but not soft PVC which is sometimes used for rain jackets etc. I think this has a good chance of working well for you!

Elizabeth

11/6/2011 9:36 PM

Can you use it to repair jewelry, like backs of earrings? Thanks.

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/6/2011 11:51 PM

@Elizabeth: That's a great use for Sugru!

Jane – Special Guest

11/7/2011 6:17 AM

@Elizabeth: Hey Elizabeth - yes I think this should work quite well - the best time to make the hole is when the sugru is about half cured - so it won't stick to your earring but will be easy to push the pin through. I have seen people also repair necklaces and remount precious stones and also make new jewellery like beads etc :)

Margaret

11/6/2011 10:06 PM

Sounds just wonderful. Can the white be painted or otherewise colored?

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/6/2011 10:21 PM

@Margaret: You can blend the colors together to get a new color but paint will just flake off.

Jane – Special Guest

11/7/2011 6:18 AM

@Margaret: Yes, like Katherine says, the best way to colour sugru is by blending the colours together. However I have seen some crafters have success with painting sugru but it seems to be with quite heavy duty modelmaking paints and also nail varnish seems to work too :)

Susan

11/11/2011 4:26 PM

Hi Jane! Your Sugru is awesome! My mind is racing with the possibilities for repair work around the house. However, I am really trying to contain my excitement about restoration applications if I can solve the paint issue mentioned above. I would also like to ask about shrinkage as/after it dries.

I restore vintage lamps and lighting and have been searching for a moldable/sculptable, air-curable, non-shrinking product that can also be painted. There are so many more lamps & lamp parts that could be salvaged if I could solve this issue satisfactorily. That I could use Sugru on a variety of materials--ceramic, pottery, various metals, plaster, wood..., it would be invaluable if I can paint it I read your replies above but wonder about primed Sugru. How does Sugru respond to priming before painting? Scuffing before painting? And does it shrink as it dries?

Thanks in advance for your response. I can't wait to hear what you have to say!

Susan

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/11/2011 4:46 PM

@Susan: I have forwarded your message on to Jane. It sounds like this could be a great product for you to rescue lighting that still has life left in it. As far as shrinkage, it shrinks a very small amount, perhaps 1-2%. It sounds like many people have tried painting Sugru and where there has been some success is by using heavy duty modeling paints or nail polish. Otherwise, blending the Sugru colors is the best way to achieve new colors.

Jane – Special Guest

11/12/2011 7:22 AM

@Susan: Hi Susan, your work sounds great and I'm pretty confident that sugru will be able to help. Like Katherine says a very small amount of shrinkage may occur but I have never been able to perceive it. I'd suggest doing some trials with different kinds of paints - we know that model making paints, nail varnish and some oil based paints will work to paint sugru parts that aren't shaped and required to flex or move. Also, inside every pack there is a small booklet with a colour mixing guide which will allow you to match quite a large range of colours too. Look forward to hearing how you get on! If you are happy with it, we would love to feature one of your projects on our gallery! Jane.

Jefff

12/7/2011 7:40 PM

Do you have any idea as to whether this would work in a saltwater environment? I have a large saltwater reef tank and can think of several uses, but am concerned as to whether 1) it would cure and 2) whether anything would leach out into the water that would be harmful to my fish & corals.

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/8/2011 12:17 AM

@Jefff: Good question. I have forwarded your question to Jane for her insight.

Jane – Special Guest

12/8/2011 3:42 PM

@Jefff: Hi Jefff, in principle sugru is fine in a saltwater environment. It's best to apply it to a dry surface, let it cure and then allow it water if you can. That way you'll get the best bond. In terms of anything leaching into the water, if you are able to let it fully cure and then steep it in water (not exposed to your fish) for a few days, that should ensure that any additives that are going to escape have had a chance to do so. One question - how deep would the piece of sugru that you'd need to use be? Just because cure time will depend on the depth of the piece, it will cure to 3-5mm deep in 24hrs. Does that help? Any more questions just shout :)

Jim D

12/10/2011 9:32 AM

Be VERY VERY careful buying this stuff. IT's in extremely small packets, and it does NOT stick to everything as indicated. We tried to make a ring around a cane to make the cane attachable to a holder that was to large for the new cane. The stuff just formed a circle around the cane, but would NOT stick to it. Also it took 2 (two) packets to form a one inch circle. Keep that in mind before you shell out this much money for something. $18.00 is a lot of money for something that does NOT work as stated.

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/10/2011 10:29 AM

@Jim D: We always want you to be happy with a purchase you've made from Daily Grommet, so if this didn't work for you, please contact our customer support department to return it. This is such a new product and people are trying to use it in so many different ways, with different materials that it's hard to know exactly what will and what will not work. It would be great if you could let us know what surface it did not stick to so that we all can be better informed. The packets are small because most projects are smaller. Once a packet is open it needs to be used up quickly. Jane didn't want to make this in large packets that would be hard to use up in one sitting. I know I was running around after one fix with half the packet left over looking for something else that needed fixing so that the Sugru wouldn't go to waste. Thanks for stopping back. We're always happy to have people post first hand experience with the products that they've purchased.

Jim D

12/17/2011 10:06 AM

@Katherine Klinger:

The use for this was on a Metal Cane. The use was to make a "stop ring" around the cane so that it would NOT slip through the holder for the cane on the back of my patients scooter. The product did NOT stick to it as discribed in the literature and the video for the matter, from the maker. It is indeed a lot of money to spend for something that doesn't do as suggested. It will end up costing me more to send this stuff back than it cost, after all the shipping is said and done. The idea is great, but I think the maker needs to do more research on what type of items that this stuff will work on, and they need to lower the cost for what little is sent out. The packet size is GREAT, it the amount of packets for the price. This project that I had tried required 2 packets because of the thickness in size needed. But if I need or want to use that color on something else I'm stuck, cause I either have to buy more or do with out. I just felt that as small as the packets are that it would have been more like 24 packets for $18.00 each, instead of 10 packets. Just my opinion.

Jane – Special Guest

12/21/2011 7:53 AM

@Jim D: Hi again Jim, sorry to hear that your first sugru project wasn't a success and I hope I can troubleshoot the reason why with you. You're right, sugru doesn't stick to everything, but it does stick very well to a lot of things, and it bonds especially well to metals like aluminium and steel (as can be seen from some of the many user projects posted on the sugru gallery at sugru.com/gallery), so this should have worked well for you. It's hard to work out why it didn't bond well in this case but my tips would be to make sure the surface is clean and dry, and if the sugru piece is more than 3-5mm thick, to leave it longer to cure before putting strain on it. sugru cures from the outside in, so if the piece is quite thick, it may take longer to cure. One way to speed it up is to leave it to cure in a warm place like beside a radiator.

We'd love you to give this another try, as sugru really should have no trouble with this application if it's fully cured before putting strain on it. We'd be more than happy to send out a few extra minipacks for you to re-do it and do some more playing around with without having to eat into the pack you have. How does that sound? If you let us have your address, we can pop them in the post asap for you.

Best wishes,

Jane

Jim D

12/20/2011 8:59 PM

@Katherine Klinger: Something else that amazes me, is that the creator of this product hasn't piped in to offer help. That in and of itself should tell people something. Jim

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/21/2011 12:59 AM

@Jim D: These days are the absolute craziest days of the year for most of us selling retail. I bet she will be able to stop back soon.

Jane – Special Guest

12/21/2011 7:44 AM

@Jim D: Hi Jim, super sorry, I did actually write you a long reply on this a few days ago but now that I have checked back I can see that it didn't post. I think it was because I wrote the note without being logged in so it went to DG for moderation first or something. Anyway, I'll write it again now, sorry about that.

Brian Collins

12/11/2011 1:56 PM

Are any of the below ingredients toxic to the skin or can they leach into a product they are applied to? Do you need gloves to handle?

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/11/2011 2:05 PM

@Brian Collins: Sugru is not toxic, but it is not food grade and shouldn't be used in direct contact with food or drink. You do not need gloves to handle this product unless you have an allergy to these substances.

Sandy

12/21/2011 12:37 PM

I just received my order of Sugru. As I'm giving this as a Christmas present, and the recipient does not know anything about this product, is there information on ways to use this stuff....a list or suggestions or how to use...that I might print out? Thanks.

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/21/2011 2:45 PM

@Sandy: I gave it as a gift as well and was thinking the same thing. Then I looked at the packaging and I thought it did a pretty good job at explaining, very simplistically, what it was all about so I sent it on its way. I will find out soon enough if my gift recipient understood it! I have created a pdf from a page from sugru.com that you can print out. I think it does a great job of explaining how exciting this product is:

John Morlino

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/26/2011 11:11 AM

@John Morlino: I have sent Jane your question. Thanks for stopping by!

Jane – Special Guest

12/26/2011 11:18 AM

@John Morlino: Hi John, thanks and yes it's turned out to be super useful! No, I'm not a polymer chemist, I'm a product designer, but I developed the technology behind sugru together with several material engineers and chemists, two of whom specialise in silicones. If you're interested, you can read more of the story behind sugru at our website sometime. Hope you find sugru useful!

Best wishes,

Jane.

Suzanne

3/1/2012 1:08 AM

I have hacked many things in our home with sugru and have been so pleased with them. This hack was, by far, my favorite. Nobody knows that it is there. In december I feel hard on pavement, smacking the side of my head. My glasses were shattered and in 3 pieces. I have tried to repair such breaks too many times over my lifetime and never did it work very well. Anyway, I did not have time during the holidays to get a new pair nor did I have the money! I tried the sugru and was careful to position the lens and frame pieces so that no functionality was lost. I waited 24 hours and checked my work and nobody knows that my glasses are repaired. I can put off new glasses for as long as needed and I am grateful to this amazing product. I have repaired things around my home that I could not fix otherwise, like affixing the door handle to our woodstove. A wonderful grommet!

Jane – Special Guest

3/2/2012 7:12 AM

@Suzanne Bergholz: Hi Suzanne, that's fantastic! Your glasses repair sounds awesome - and I know what you mean about the satisfaction of repairing them and not needing to shell out for another expensive pair - ace! I love the sound of your hack to affix a door handle to your wood stove - if you ever feel like sharing images of your hacks and repairs with others in the sugru community, I'd love you to. If you go to the sugru website, there is a link in the footer to our community message board where you can upload pics. Hope to see you there some day and in the meantime keep up the great work! Jane.

CJ

5/21/2012 9:43 AM

I have glass lids for my cook pans (scan pans) and several have chipped along bottom inner ring (this ring touches the inside of the pan). Would it be safe to fix these chips and perhaps run a ring of Sugru along edge to protect from further chipping? It would not be in direct contact with food but perhaps with boiling liquids along inside top edge of pan.

Linda (Customer Support at sugru)

5/22/2012 9:29 AM

@CJ I don't think we can recommend sugru for this application.

Even though sugru won't ordinarily come into direct contact with food, if repaired by the method stated, the sugru could possibly come unstuck and fall into the pan.

If the pan is being used for frying, the temperature may well rise above the recommended 180ºC (= 356ºF) maximum temperature. If it does, the sugru will become significantly weaker and less elastic, further increasing the risk of contamination of the food.

We're not implying that sugru will be poisonous if it gets into the food, but it is not something sugru has been tested or approved for, so we have to urge you to be careful with this application.

Debbie

8/16/2012 12:57 PM

I have an iron kitchen towel hook in which the hooks were broken off in shipping. Will sugru adhere to iron and be strong enough to hold the weight of kitchen towels?

Linda (Customer Support at Sugru)

8/20/2012 9:22 AM

@ Debbie Yes, sugru bonds well to iron and will hold the weight of the kitchen towels. Make sure to clean and dry the surfaces you apply sugru to and press sugru firmly onto them to ensure a good bond. Then leave it for 24 hours to make sure it's fully cured.

Kaya McMahon

8/31/2012 8:57 PM

I have an old original 70s VW bus camper that is in excellent condition except that it appears to have a small leak in the roof that is letting rain in. I don't want to pay, pay, pay at an auto body shop...can't afford to, in fact. Would Sugru work to bind to the metal on the inside of the roof once we can find exactly where it is?

Amy

9/3/2012 3:41 PM

@ Kaya McMahon I had am 80s mail jeep with the same issue- I used a tube of silicone bathroom sealant (commonly called DAP but comes in other brands) that cost less than $10 from the local hardware store. It comes in clear as well as several other colors, and after 24hrs of curing is completely water-tight. Sugru may work, but the DAP is cheaper for a whole tube- I used it to fix my car, and secure stereo speakers, and still had lots left over to "glue" toys all over the ceiling of the jeep for decoration. Hope this helps.

Linda (Customer Support at Sugru)

Nancy

9/3/2012 3:07 PM

Jane - can Sugru be used to rebuild and protect the outer edges of rubber shoe and boot heels that are wearing down due to supination? Other products (such as Shoe Goo) are made specifically for this purpose -- but are messy to use and perform inconsistently. I have many pairs of rubber-soled shoes and boots on which the heels need repairing or protecting -- but I don't know specifically what kind of rubber was used to make any of them. Are there tests I can perform to determine compatibility with Sugru? Thanks!

Could Sugru be used to patch a crack in our basement wall?

9/14/2012 12:18 PM

Our basement has a couple of cracks in the concrete wall. I'm wondering if we could apply Sugru over the crack to eliminate rain water leaks. Betty

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

9/17/2012 12:54 PM

@ Could Sugru be used to patch a crack in our basement wall?: Wouldn't it be neat if it could? We have a message in to the Sugru Team and will let you know.

Linda (Customer Support at Sugru)

9/30/2012 4:49 PM

@ Could Sugru be used to patch a crack in our basement wall?: Sugru bonds to concrete and it is waterproof. However, we haven't tested or heard whether it works to patch a crack in a basement wall. If you try it, please stop by and let us know how it worked out for you.

Andrea

9/17/2012 10:16 AM

If I purchase Sugru today through Daily Grommet - a very cool site indeed - what is the expiry date of the product? I understand I can extend the life by refrigerating it, but I thought I saw somewhere that the expiry date is August 2012.

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

9/17/2012 12:51 PM

@ Andrea: Sugru has a 6 month shelf-life, which can last twice as long if refrigerated. You'll have at least 6 months from the moment your Sugru arrives.

The August 2012 expiration date was mentioned by Jane in an earlier post for Sugru that's bought in Nov 2011.

Lisa Stevens

9/29/2012 12:51 PM

It sounds like a product worth trying, although I almost didn't look at it because of the misleading name "hacking." Communication is more important than being "cute." It's nice to invent words, but only when the meaning is clear. I'd like to suggest you call it something more descriptive that doesn't make it sound like you are vandalizing everyone's computers.

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

10/10/2012 11:16 PM

@ Lisa Stevens: Thank you for your feedback to be more careful about using words that are not computer friendly.

Nan

10/8/2012 1:42 PM

What happens if you change your mind and want to remove the Sugru after it hardens?

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

10/10/2012 11:26 PM

@ Nan: A concern we all share. Jane, the creator of Sugru shared this in an earlier post. "You get very good adhesive bond to most materials, particularly glass, ceramics, aluminium, steel and hard plastics like ABS (laptops etc) and plexiglas. However if you do eventually want to remove it, if the surface is non-porous, you can.

Karen

10/14/2012 1:21 PM

This is amazing Jane. You are amazing Jane. Growing up my Grandfather was always fixing everything. Coming from the depression era you never threw anything away. Congratulations Jane!!

Branden

11/7/2012 12:46 PM

Hi Jane. I have been looking for something just like this to repair a leaky crack in my Brita pitcher. Do you think it would be safe to use for something like that?

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

11/7/2012 1:34 PM

@ Branden: You can fix pitchers, dishes and pans etc on the outside rather than inside. For example quite a lot of people repair or replace knobs on saucepan lids, or handles of mugs. Sugru is not toxic but not food-grade so you shouldn't use it in direct contact with food or drink.

Branden

11/7/2012 3:31 PM

@Chew-Hoong Thanks for your response. I see this answer listed earlier, and understand it shouldn't be in direct contact with something you're going to drink, I was just wondering if the external sealing of a crack that leaks water is considered too much contact.

Erica

11/7/2012 4:55 PM

Could I use it on the bottom of my metal stools? Although they have those plastic slides on the bottom, they are scratching my wood floor. The felt pads work when I place them over the slides, but they constantly fall off.

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/10/2012 4:31 PM

@ Erica - Yes this is a great use for Sugru. It may not slip as freely as your felt pad would, but still a great solution.

Marilyn Bucklin

11/7/2012 8:58 PM

I especially like the idea of using sugru on my kitchen chair legs. Those sticky felt "dots" just don't cut it! How many packets would I need for 6 chairs....and what colors mix to get brown? How do I get the same amount on each let so the chair remains level? Please consider the color use when suggesting the number of packets.

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/10/2012 4:41 PM

@ Marilyn Bucklin It sounds like you've got a project on your hands! You will need an even combination of red, blue and yellow to make brown. I would estimate that you will need 12 mini-packs for the six chairs. Getting them even will be a matter of trial and error. You have molding time when you are working with the putty, so you can set the chair down and make the adjustments you need before tipping the chair ends in the air to cure. Let us know how it turns out!

Recently Viewed

sugru

Self Setting Rubber

Can You Fix It?

It took more than six years for Jane ni Dhulchaointigh and a team of scientists to perfect her idea for a moldable, self-adhesive, and self-curing silicone material, but it only takes about six seconds to become totally enthralled with her brilliant invention.

Derived from the Irish word “súgradh,” which means “play,” sugru is a bit like modeling clay. It’s malleable when you first take it out of the sealed package, and it retains its plasticity for about 30 minutes. It can adhere to metal, glass, fabric and most plastics. It’s waterproof, and it cures at room temperature after about 24 hours.

Sugru is good for anything that needs fixing, modifying, customizing, or cushioning. Instead of throwing away a blender with a broken switch, you can make a new switch out of sugru. Disintegrating grip on your golf club? Hole in your sneakers? Missing piece on your keyboard? Patch them with sugru. Worried about dropping your camera or smartphone? Wrap the corners with sugru for extra protection. The possibilities are endless.

We’re all conscious about extending the lifespan of our things, both to save money and to reduce the amount of items sent prematurely to landfills. sugru makes it easy—and fun—to be resourceful.Read MoreRead Less

Shop sugru Products

Grommet Launch Conversation

Jane

Hello! I'm Jane.

I'm an inventor on a mission!

I really believe we shouldn't have to buy new stuff every time something breaks or doesn't work properly.

That's why I invented sugru - I want to make it easy for anyone to repair, adapt, and improve their stuff to make it work better for them. For example have you ever had a great pair of shoes that got worn only once because they gave you a blister? Or a can-opener that digs into your hand every time you use it? The solution shouldn't be to have to buy more new stuff.

Everyone has their own problem to solve with sugru... what might yours be?

Elle

11/4/2011 12:05 PM

Is it toxic?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:10 PM

Hi Elle, thanks for asking! no it's not toxic but it's not food-grade so you shouldn't use it in direct contact with food or drink. What are you thinking you could use it for?

Amy Bielawski

11/4/2011 12:22 PM

@Jane ni Dhulchaointigh: So you cannot use it to fix dishes, glasses, etc?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:35 PM

@Amy Bielawski: Hi Amy, you can fix dishes and pans etc but on the outside rather than inside. For example quite a lot of people repair or replace knobs on saucepan lids, or handles of mugs.

Jan Patterson RN

11/4/2011 12:13 PM

Jane, this is BRILLIANT. I've got so many ideas for uses already- things I'm not ready to part with, or need to improve [I really like the messenger bag 'drier' hack!]. *puts on my list of things to add to ready-tools*

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:15 PM

@Jan Patterson RN: Hey Jan - awesome! yes sugru does bond quite well to fabric so it's a pretty effective way of waterproofing some items - I was thinking of making knee pads on gardening jeans for example :)

russ neff

11/4/2011 12:21 PM

It looks like a really great product.

And I have ordered some

Is it available in large volume quart/gallon sizes?

Does it shrink much when it hardens?

Do you get actual adhesion, like a glue, from this product?

Or does the part you use it on have to have something to grab like a cloth?

Thanks

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:32 PM

@russ neff: Hi Ruff - lots of questions! Thanks for ordering :) At the moment we sell it in small individual use pieces because people mainly use it for small jobs. But yes we do special orders if you have a project that requires a larger amount. Because it cures once it's exposed to the air, we pack it in sizes that can be used all at once. It shrinks a very small amount perhaps 1-2% when it cures, but this isn't noticable for most jobs. Yes - you get very good adhesive bond to most materials, particularly glass, ceramics, aluminium, steel and hard plastics like ABS (laptops etc) and plexiglas. However if you do eventually want to remove it, if the surface is non-porous, you can.

Sarah

11/4/2011 12:21 PM

where is this product made?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:26 PM

@Sarah: good question! In our own small factory in East London. We do now have a Company in the US however, and we ship orders from Michigan :)

Deirdre

11/4/2011 12:23 PM

Jan, once you have some the reasons to use it just keep turning up. I have used up half my multipack already and I only got it a week ago. The little packs are great to give to friends as well. My fave winter shoes sprung a leak, so they are fixed, and dust was getting into my cellphone, so I made a cover for the charge port! It's like blue-tak and duct tape had a baby.

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:37 PM

@Deirdre Tobin: Hi Deirdre - cool to hear it's come in so useful nice and fast! That's a cool idea to make a plug for the charge port :) When you give it to friends is it because they've mentioned a problem to you that you think it can fix?

Deirdre

11/4/2011 12:50 PM

@Jane ni Dhulchaointigh: Actually, to be honest no, just people I think would get a kick out of it and who like to be a part of a more sustainable culture. Probably partly as an excuse to chat about my own fixes and brag a little about it being Irish.

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:58 PM

@Deirdre Tobin: well that's cool too! I think it's really like you found, once you do one successful fix, you get a bit hooked into wanting to solve problems, and wanting other people to get the same little buzz - the solution doesn't have to be sugru, it's cool to see people embrace repairing in general - when you do a good repair you actually get a little buzz don't you? :-)

Deb

11/4/2011 12:29 PM

When does this particular batch expire? (My last batch hardened before I used it all.)

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 12:34 PM

@Deb: Hi Deb - ooh sorry to hear that. These packs have a use-by date of first week of August 2012 - but we have a new tip - if you keep your sugru in the fridge it'll last twice as long.

Michelle

11/4/2011 1:09 PM

Hi Jane, I love the possibilities for this product! Sorry, I have a bunch of questions about it:

After it's hardened, is it not sticky at all? Or does it still have some grippy quality to it - is it more rubbery or more smooth plasticky? I watched your video showing putting "bumpers" on an iPhone - once the bumpers are pulled off, could you then stick them back on or would they just fall off?

Once it's expired, is the only thing you can do with sugru basically throw it away? The substance seems to be more toxic (and therefore not a good sub for play dough or something) - is it basically the equivalent of eating plastic, and if a kid ate it, would I have to take him/her to the ER or would it be ok to let it "pass" through? Is it biodegradable or recyclable? Does it render otherwise recyclable materials (i.e. stuff that goes in the blue bin) non-recyclable? If not recyclable, maybe you could have some sort of trade-in plan where the expired stuff could be sent back to you?

Again, sorry for the questions - I would like to give some to a great organisation that works with kids but I need to be able to give them full details before I do!

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 1:36 PM

@Michelle: Hi Michelle - questions are great :) After it's cured, it's more velvety than tacky, but it does have some grip to it. If you want to make it have more grip, I'd suggest you texture it.

It's more rubbery than plasticy.

If you pull the sugru off again, no it won't be able to stick to anything, although it does stick to itself, so you could use a small amount to stick it back on.

I'd suggest you try not to let your sugru expire, because it's much less useful if you let it get old. What happens is it loses it's strength and elasticity.

In terms of safety, it's not toxic, but you're right it's not edible or food safe or child safe - it's not for children so we advise keeping it out of their reach. Treat it like you'd treat for example super-glue. Fine for teenagers, but not children :)

sugru isn't biodegradable - it's silicone and very long lasting and durable. It should last for years and years once it's applied successfully, and therefore help extend the life of things. Silicone is in theory recyclable but there isn't an infrastructure in place yet in most cities. We hope that people use up all their sugru, and make good use of it, and if it looks like it won't be used by the use-by date then share it with friends or something.

Hope that helps!

Nadine Hagen

11/4/2011 1:40 PM

How long does it last unopened or opened ?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 1:52 PM

@Nadine Hagen: Hi Nadine - unopened it lasts at least 6 months and if you keep it in the fridge about twice as long. These packs for example have a use-by date of early August 2012 stored at 70 Degrees Farenheit. If you store it in the fridge, it'll last about 6 months longer.

There are 12 mini packs in every pouch. Once you open a minipack, you'll need to use it within about half an hour to an hour.

What might you do with it? :-)

melissa

11/4/2011 2:46 PM

I am so excited about this product! I have been a grommet member for 6 months and have seen many products that interested me, but sugru is honestly the first item that I immediately said I need that! So, You are my first grommet purchase. I run an in home day care center and my husband plays bass guitar for the army band. We love to hack our environment and this is going to be so helpful. I cant wait to receive our first order!

Jules – Grommet Team

11/4/2011 3:06 PM

@melissa shattuck: I was touched by your comment. I love the idea that you hung out with us for six months because of your general interest in learning about interesting product and the people behind them. Your attention (not just your dollars) is really really valuable to these hard-working inventors and innovators. But I am also grateful for your purchase because it helps us continue to uncover these stories for you every day. I hope you love Sugru. I used it to fix a little odd sculpture that my (little odd) brother gave me. He recently died and it is one of only two things I own that he gave me. So Sugru already has a special place in my heart, next to the one I reserve for Todd.

Melissa E Shattuck

11/5/2011 10:26 AM

@Jules Pieri: Jules, I just wanted to thank you for your personal reply to my comment. I have really enjoyed getting the daily grommet emails and checking out all the cool, interesting, and useful items that you guys feature! I am inspired by the inventors that you all bring to our attention daily. I also want to thank you for sharing the comment about your brother. I particularly love your comment about his odd little sculpture. (I truly have an affinity for odd little sculptures...which is wonderful as most of my toddler/preschoolers make odd little sculptures for me)I will think of you both as I use my Sugru in my hacking experiments. (And also...even tho I never met Todd...because of your loving comments..I now too have a special place in my heart for him as well!)All my best...Melissa

Jules – Grommet Team

11/5/2011 6:35 PM

@Melissa E Shattuck: Thank you for your warm thoughts, your understanding and appreciating odd little sculptures and the people who make them. And thank you for your daily enthusiasm for the Grommets and their creators. We share a lot of bonds here, you and I!

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 3:19 PM

@melissa shattuck: cool! keep us posted how you get on. If you have a hack you're particularly happy with send us a picture for our gallery - pictures help inspire other people to do the same :-) Plus we give out prizes for the coolest ones. Have fun!

Melissa E Shattuck

11/5/2011 10:15 AM

@Jane ni Dhulchaointigh: It hasnt been 24 hours since I placed my order and I have already had couple ideas for my shipment of sugru...so far I am planning on 1. hacking a pen holder for one of my eraser boards in my classroom area. 2. I am going to hack a cover for the gear changing lever on our motorcycle...I noticed that the bare metal scuffs my shoes because of the constant changing...and I think this might just be a perfect place for sugru!

When I get my shipment I will do some experiments and let you guys know the results!

Melissa Shattuck

2/23/2012 2:51 PM

@ Jane ni Dhulchaointigh: I love this product...I have found several uses already. I Had some carpet tacks sticking up near the back door...I was able to match the carpet color and put the Sugru over the tacks so that the babys dont get stuck anymore. I also installed a slide lock on the back door and used the Sugru to make a stop so that it doesn't slide off when I unlock the door.

I made a foot for my marble cheese stand that has needed a foot for 3 years!

I covered the gear shift changer on my motorcycle so it doesn't scuff my shoes when I change gears...

And my best use so far is I made my taller "feet" for the back side of my dish drainer tray so that it drains more effectively. I also covered the actual feet of the dish rack so that it does not slide so easily.

I am also going make feet for my older laptop so that it doesnt slide around on the fan mat.

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

2/23/2012 4:01 PM

@Melissa Shattuck: It's so wonderful of you to stop by & share all the creative hacking you did. It's certainly a great testament to the versatility & effectiveness of this putty Sugru. You've given me some great hacking ideas too. Thanks!

Jane – Special Guest

2/24/2012 5:16 AM

@Melissa Shattuck: Wow! You've done loads! The door slider sounds cool - sometimes it's those little things we use all the time that are the most satisfying, right? We'd love you to share your hacks with the sugru community if you'd like to. It's called gurus - go to the sugru website, and you'll find the link. The key is to help other people be able to do the same as you! Hope to see you there :) Jane.

Amy Pack

11/4/2011 2:54 PM

hi, i think i love your product. i haven't tried it yet but i have a kabillion things in mind. i am a jewelry designer, could i use this as my molding material? or even as a pendant with beads or crystals pushed into it?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 3:23 PM

@Amy Pack: Hi Amy, cool! well, sugru is designed to stick so it's not ideal as a molding material, however people do use it successfully for small molding projects - I've seen people cast pewter into a small two part mold made with sugru, and flat resin shapes cast into a small relief mold. The best release material to use with sugru if you want to make an impression of something is soapy water which stops it sticking. And yes - embedding beads and crystals in sugru looks fantastic! With crystals, be sure to get the foil backed type so that the light reflects well even with the dark sugru behind. Keep us posted what you make with sugru! Like I said to Melissa, we love getting pictures for our gallery to inspire more people and we have a hack of the month contest too where you can win lots of free sugru :)

Amy Pack

Lori

11/4/2011 3:35 PM

Just wondering if it holds up to heat?

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 3:42 PM

@Lori: Hi Lori - good question :) Once sugru is used and cured, it'll withstand temps of up to around 180C / 360F and down to -50C / -58F. So it's good enough for boiling water and most hot environments, but not really for sticking in the oven. What are you thinking of using it for?

Len

11/4/2011 4:12 PM

This sounds like the neatest product, exactly the type of thing I joined this site to see. (I just signed up last week so this the 3 rd product I've seen.

I wonder does it adhere to concrete and wood so I can use it to patch a hole in the frame of my garage door with wood door on one side and concrete on the other?

Jules – Grommet Team

11/4/2011 4:33 PM

@Len : Hi Len! I'm the co-founder of Daily Grommet. I'm glad we found Sugru for you. What other kinds of products are you interested in? We want to do a good job for you. Here are some of our other Problem Solvers that might get your wheels turning: http://www.thegrommet.com/products/home/home-problem-solvers

Deirdre

11/4/2011 4:33 PM

@Len : Someone on the sugru site used it to mount a webcam on an external brick wall, so probably, yeah. http://sugru.com/gallery/show/security-webcam-mounted-where-i-need-it

Jane – Special Guest

11/4/2011 4:52 PM

@Len : Hi Len, yes it bonds well to both concrete and wood. It should work pretty well depending on the size of the hole :)

Janice

11/4/2011 9:21 PM

Sugru looks amazing and I can think of lots of uses for it. There is one I'm wondering about though. My husband's leather covered chair has a split in the upholstery on one arm. Do you think Sugru will work to repair this? Also, is it possible to blend colors at all? The chair is a dark blue. I was thinking a combination of blue and black might be the least noticeable.

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/5/2011 8:58 AM

@Janice: We agree that it is amazing! I found this picture in the Sugru gallery of someone who repaired similar material:

http://sugru.com/us/gallery/show/repaired-old-camera-case

.

Jules – Grommet Team

11/5/2011 9:16 AM

@Janice: You can blend colors. If you really need to fill a gap then I think Sugru could be perfect. It would feel "right" next to the leather and the blue and black could be hopefully blended to get a perfect match.

If you can imagine pulling the split together and fusing it back with a separate piece of backing material, then I think you should look at using Tear Mender instead: http://www.thegrommet.com/products/243-tear-mender-fabric-adhesive It is another DIY miracle worker and is able to handle a ton of tension from the two sides of the split trying to pull apart. It is also silicone based and was originally invented to repair farm tractor belts. Its specialty is fabric and leather.

Janice

11/8/2011 7:43 PM

@Jules Pieri: Actually, I ordered both Sugru and Tear Mender so I should definitely be able to repair tht chair!

denise

11/5/2011 11:30 AM

I have two frameless mirrors, approx 2ft x 3ft. Can I use this to hang them with? Is there a weight limit?

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/7/2011 12:05 AM

@denise adams: Sugru can be used to hang light weight objects such as keys, but it is not intended to be a structural material. Its true purpose is to adapt surfaces.

Jules – Grommet Team

11/6/2011 10:54 AM

I'm thrilled with a hack I just did. I have been trying to repair two bathroom lights for six years. Yes, I said six years. They have a black plastic "grate" over them...kind of an industrial chic look. A piece of grate on each broke off and went missing when we rented the house out. I have used black electrical tape to "fake" the grate. It never worked. It looked ridiculous. But I didn't want to replace the lights. I still like them. So...Sugru to the rescue. I loved that I could work with the material for 10 or so minutes and get it just right. And with the high heat tolerance of Sugru, I am optimistic this hack will hold. Thanks Jane!

Jane – Special Guest

11/7/2011 6:13 AM

@Jules Pieri: Hi Jules - that's awesome! Keep us posted how it works out for you and if you're happy with it send a pic for the gallery :)

Beth

11/6/2011 6:48 PM

My dog had jumped on our plastic outside gate and the rungs are loose from the piece running along the top. Will it adhere plastics to plastic and stay during could and hot weather.

Jane – Special Guest

11/7/2011 6:10 AM

@Beth: Hi Beth - oh dear :) sugru is fine with high and low temperatures but it doesn't bond to all plastics. It bonds excellently to hard plastics like ABS which is used for most electronic products like computers etc but not so well to more oily plastics like polyethylene or polypropylene. It turns out that does stick to some PVC - hard plumbing pipe, doors or windows for example but not soft PVC which is sometimes used for rain jackets etc. I think this has a good chance of working well for you!

Elizabeth

11/6/2011 9:36 PM

Can you use it to repair jewelry, like backs of earrings? Thanks.

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/6/2011 11:51 PM

@Elizabeth: That's a great use for Sugru!

Jane – Special Guest

11/7/2011 6:17 AM

@Elizabeth: Hey Elizabeth - yes I think this should work quite well - the best time to make the hole is when the sugru is about half cured - so it won't stick to your earring but will be easy to push the pin through. I have seen people also repair necklaces and remount precious stones and also make new jewellery like beads etc :)

Margaret

11/6/2011 10:06 PM

Sounds just wonderful. Can the white be painted or otherewise colored?

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/6/2011 10:21 PM

@Margaret: You can blend the colors together to get a new color but paint will just flake off.

Jane – Special Guest

11/7/2011 6:18 AM

@Margaret: Yes, like Katherine says, the best way to colour sugru is by blending the colours together. However I have seen some crafters have success with painting sugru but it seems to be with quite heavy duty modelmaking paints and also nail varnish seems to work too :)

Susan

11/11/2011 4:26 PM

Hi Jane! Your Sugru is awesome! My mind is racing with the possibilities for repair work around the house. However, I am really trying to contain my excitement about restoration applications if I can solve the paint issue mentioned above. I would also like to ask about shrinkage as/after it dries.

I restore vintage lamps and lighting and have been searching for a moldable/sculptable, air-curable, non-shrinking product that can also be painted. There are so many more lamps & lamp parts that could be salvaged if I could solve this issue satisfactorily. That I could use Sugru on a variety of materials--ceramic, pottery, various metals, plaster, wood..., it would be invaluable if I can paint it I read your replies above but wonder about primed Sugru. How does Sugru respond to priming before painting? Scuffing before painting? And does it shrink as it dries?

Thanks in advance for your response. I can't wait to hear what you have to say!

Susan

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/11/2011 4:46 PM

@Susan: I have forwarded your message on to Jane. It sounds like this could be a great product for you to rescue lighting that still has life left in it. As far as shrinkage, it shrinks a very small amount, perhaps 1-2%. It sounds like many people have tried painting Sugru and where there has been some success is by using heavy duty modeling paints or nail polish. Otherwise, blending the Sugru colors is the best way to achieve new colors.

Jane – Special Guest

11/12/2011 7:22 AM

@Susan: Hi Susan, your work sounds great and I'm pretty confident that sugru will be able to help. Like Katherine says a very small amount of shrinkage may occur but I have never been able to perceive it. I'd suggest doing some trials with different kinds of paints - we know that model making paints, nail varnish and some oil based paints will work to paint sugru parts that aren't shaped and required to flex or move. Also, inside every pack there is a small booklet with a colour mixing guide which will allow you to match quite a large range of colours too. Look forward to hearing how you get on! If you are happy with it, we would love to feature one of your projects on our gallery! Jane.

Jefff

12/7/2011 7:40 PM

Do you have any idea as to whether this would work in a saltwater environment? I have a large saltwater reef tank and can think of several uses, but am concerned as to whether 1) it would cure and 2) whether anything would leach out into the water that would be harmful to my fish & corals.

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/8/2011 12:17 AM

@Jefff: Good question. I have forwarded your question to Jane for her insight.

Jane – Special Guest

12/8/2011 3:42 PM

@Jefff: Hi Jefff, in principle sugru is fine in a saltwater environment. It's best to apply it to a dry surface, let it cure and then allow it water if you can. That way you'll get the best bond. In terms of anything leaching into the water, if you are able to let it fully cure and then steep it in water (not exposed to your fish) for a few days, that should ensure that any additives that are going to escape have had a chance to do so. One question - how deep would the piece of sugru that you'd need to use be? Just because cure time will depend on the depth of the piece, it will cure to 3-5mm deep in 24hrs. Does that help? Any more questions just shout :)

Jim D

12/10/2011 9:32 AM

Be VERY VERY careful buying this stuff. IT's in extremely small packets, and it does NOT stick to everything as indicated. We tried to make a ring around a cane to make the cane attachable to a holder that was to large for the new cane. The stuff just formed a circle around the cane, but would NOT stick to it. Also it took 2 (two) packets to form a one inch circle. Keep that in mind before you shell out this much money for something. $18.00 is a lot of money for something that does NOT work as stated.

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/10/2011 10:29 AM

@Jim D: We always want you to be happy with a purchase you've made from Daily Grommet, so if this didn't work for you, please contact our customer support department to return it. This is such a new product and people are trying to use it in so many different ways, with different materials that it's hard to know exactly what will and what will not work. It would be great if you could let us know what surface it did not stick to so that we all can be better informed. The packets are small because most projects are smaller. Once a packet is open it needs to be used up quickly. Jane didn't want to make this in large packets that would be hard to use up in one sitting. I know I was running around after one fix with half the packet left over looking for something else that needed fixing so that the Sugru wouldn't go to waste. Thanks for stopping back. We're always happy to have people post first hand experience with the products that they've purchased.

Jim D

12/17/2011 10:06 AM

@Katherine Klinger:

The use for this was on a Metal Cane. The use was to make a "stop ring" around the cane so that it would NOT slip through the holder for the cane on the back of my patients scooter. The product did NOT stick to it as discribed in the literature and the video for the matter, from the maker. It is indeed a lot of money to spend for something that doesn't do as suggested. It will end up costing me more to send this stuff back than it cost, after all the shipping is said and done. The idea is great, but I think the maker needs to do more research on what type of items that this stuff will work on, and they need to lower the cost for what little is sent out. The packet size is GREAT, it the amount of packets for the price. This project that I had tried required 2 packets because of the thickness in size needed. But if I need or want to use that color on something else I'm stuck, cause I either have to buy more or do with out. I just felt that as small as the packets are that it would have been more like 24 packets for $18.00 each, instead of 10 packets. Just my opinion.

Jane – Special Guest

12/21/2011 7:53 AM

@Jim D: Hi again Jim, sorry to hear that your first sugru project wasn't a success and I hope I can troubleshoot the reason why with you. You're right, sugru doesn't stick to everything, but it does stick very well to a lot of things, and it bonds especially well to metals like aluminium and steel (as can be seen from some of the many user projects posted on the sugru gallery at sugru.com/gallery), so this should have worked well for you. It's hard to work out why it didn't bond well in this case but my tips would be to make sure the surface is clean and dry, and if the sugru piece is more than 3-5mm thick, to leave it longer to cure before putting strain on it. sugru cures from the outside in, so if the piece is quite thick, it may take longer to cure. One way to speed it up is to leave it to cure in a warm place like beside a radiator.

We'd love you to give this another try, as sugru really should have no trouble with this application if it's fully cured before putting strain on it. We'd be more than happy to send out a few extra minipacks for you to re-do it and do some more playing around with without having to eat into the pack you have. How does that sound? If you let us have your address, we can pop them in the post asap for you.

Best wishes,

Jane

Jim D

12/20/2011 8:59 PM

@Katherine Klinger: Something else that amazes me, is that the creator of this product hasn't piped in to offer help. That in and of itself should tell people something. Jim

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/21/2011 12:59 AM

@Jim D: These days are the absolute craziest days of the year for most of us selling retail. I bet she will be able to stop back soon.

Jane – Special Guest

12/21/2011 7:44 AM

@Jim D: Hi Jim, super sorry, I did actually write you a long reply on this a few days ago but now that I have checked back I can see that it didn't post. I think it was because I wrote the note without being logged in so it went to DG for moderation first or something. Anyway, I'll write it again now, sorry about that.

Brian Collins

12/11/2011 1:56 PM

Are any of the below ingredients toxic to the skin or can they leach into a product they are applied to? Do you need gloves to handle?

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/11/2011 2:05 PM

@Brian Collins: Sugru is not toxic, but it is not food grade and shouldn't be used in direct contact with food or drink. You do not need gloves to handle this product unless you have an allergy to these substances.

Sandy

12/21/2011 12:37 PM

I just received my order of Sugru. As I'm giving this as a Christmas present, and the recipient does not know anything about this product, is there information on ways to use this stuff....a list or suggestions or how to use...that I might print out? Thanks.

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/21/2011 2:45 PM

@Sandy: I gave it as a gift as well and was thinking the same thing. Then I looked at the packaging and I thought it did a pretty good job at explaining, very simplistically, what it was all about so I sent it on its way. I will find out soon enough if my gift recipient understood it! I have created a pdf from a page from sugru.com that you can print out. I think it does a great job of explaining how exciting this product is:

John Morlino

Katherine – Grommet Team

12/26/2011 11:11 AM

@John Morlino: I have sent Jane your question. Thanks for stopping by!

Jane – Special Guest

12/26/2011 11:18 AM

@John Morlino: Hi John, thanks and yes it's turned out to be super useful! No, I'm not a polymer chemist, I'm a product designer, but I developed the technology behind sugru together with several material engineers and chemists, two of whom specialise in silicones. If you're interested, you can read more of the story behind sugru at our website sometime. Hope you find sugru useful!

Best wishes,

Jane.

Suzanne

3/1/2012 1:08 AM

I have hacked many things in our home with sugru and have been so pleased with them. This hack was, by far, my favorite. Nobody knows that it is there. In december I feel hard on pavement, smacking the side of my head. My glasses were shattered and in 3 pieces. I have tried to repair such breaks too many times over my lifetime and never did it work very well. Anyway, I did not have time during the holidays to get a new pair nor did I have the money! I tried the sugru and was careful to position the lens and frame pieces so that no functionality was lost. I waited 24 hours and checked my work and nobody knows that my glasses are repaired. I can put off new glasses for as long as needed and I am grateful to this amazing product. I have repaired things around my home that I could not fix otherwise, like affixing the door handle to our woodstove. A wonderful grommet!

Jane – Special Guest

3/2/2012 7:12 AM

@Suzanne Bergholz: Hi Suzanne, that's fantastic! Your glasses repair sounds awesome - and I know what you mean about the satisfaction of repairing them and not needing to shell out for another expensive pair - ace! I love the sound of your hack to affix a door handle to your wood stove - if you ever feel like sharing images of your hacks and repairs with others in the sugru community, I'd love you to. If you go to the sugru website, there is a link in the footer to our community message board where you can upload pics. Hope to see you there some day and in the meantime keep up the great work! Jane.

CJ

5/21/2012 9:43 AM

I have glass lids for my cook pans (scan pans) and several have chipped along bottom inner ring (this ring touches the inside of the pan). Would it be safe to fix these chips and perhaps run a ring of Sugru along edge to protect from further chipping? It would not be in direct contact with food but perhaps with boiling liquids along inside top edge of pan.

Linda (Customer Support at sugru)

5/22/2012 9:29 AM

@CJ I don't think we can recommend sugru for this application.

Even though sugru won't ordinarily come into direct contact with food, if repaired by the method stated, the sugru could possibly come unstuck and fall into the pan.

If the pan is being used for frying, the temperature may well rise above the recommended 180ºC (= 356ºF) maximum temperature. If it does, the sugru will become significantly weaker and less elastic, further increasing the risk of contamination of the food.

We're not implying that sugru will be poisonous if it gets into the food, but it is not something sugru has been tested or approved for, so we have to urge you to be careful with this application.

Debbie

8/16/2012 12:57 PM

I have an iron kitchen towel hook in which the hooks were broken off in shipping. Will sugru adhere to iron and be strong enough to hold the weight of kitchen towels?

Linda (Customer Support at Sugru)

8/20/2012 9:22 AM

@ Debbie Yes, sugru bonds well to iron and will hold the weight of the kitchen towels. Make sure to clean and dry the surfaces you apply sugru to and press sugru firmly onto them to ensure a good bond. Then leave it for 24 hours to make sure it's fully cured.

Kaya McMahon

8/31/2012 8:57 PM

I have an old original 70s VW bus camper that is in excellent condition except that it appears to have a small leak in the roof that is letting rain in. I don't want to pay, pay, pay at an auto body shop...can't afford to, in fact. Would Sugru work to bind to the metal on the inside of the roof once we can find exactly where it is?

Amy

9/3/2012 3:41 PM

@ Kaya McMahon I had am 80s mail jeep with the same issue- I used a tube of silicone bathroom sealant (commonly called DAP but comes in other brands) that cost less than $10 from the local hardware store. It comes in clear as well as several other colors, and after 24hrs of curing is completely water-tight. Sugru may work, but the DAP is cheaper for a whole tube- I used it to fix my car, and secure stereo speakers, and still had lots left over to "glue" toys all over the ceiling of the jeep for decoration. Hope this helps.

Linda (Customer Support at Sugru)

Nancy

9/3/2012 3:07 PM

Jane - can Sugru be used to rebuild and protect the outer edges of rubber shoe and boot heels that are wearing down due to supination? Other products (such as Shoe Goo) are made specifically for this purpose -- but are messy to use and perform inconsistently. I have many pairs of rubber-soled shoes and boots on which the heels need repairing or protecting -- but I don't know specifically what kind of rubber was used to make any of them. Are there tests I can perform to determine compatibility with Sugru? Thanks!

Could Sugru be used to patch a crack in our basement wall?

9/14/2012 12:18 PM

Our basement has a couple of cracks in the concrete wall. I'm wondering if we could apply Sugru over the crack to eliminate rain water leaks. Betty

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

9/17/2012 12:54 PM

@ Could Sugru be used to patch a crack in our basement wall?: Wouldn't it be neat if it could? We have a message in to the Sugru Team and will let you know.

Linda (Customer Support at Sugru)

9/30/2012 4:49 PM

@ Could Sugru be used to patch a crack in our basement wall?: Sugru bonds to concrete and it is waterproof. However, we haven't tested or heard whether it works to patch a crack in a basement wall. If you try it, please stop by and let us know how it worked out for you.

Andrea

9/17/2012 10:16 AM

If I purchase Sugru today through Daily Grommet - a very cool site indeed - what is the expiry date of the product? I understand I can extend the life by refrigerating it, but I thought I saw somewhere that the expiry date is August 2012.

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

9/17/2012 12:51 PM

@ Andrea: Sugru has a 6 month shelf-life, which can last twice as long if refrigerated. You'll have at least 6 months from the moment your Sugru arrives.

The August 2012 expiration date was mentioned by Jane in an earlier post for Sugru that's bought in Nov 2011.

Lisa Stevens

9/29/2012 12:51 PM

It sounds like a product worth trying, although I almost didn't look at it because of the misleading name "hacking." Communication is more important than being "cute." It's nice to invent words, but only when the meaning is clear. I'd like to suggest you call it something more descriptive that doesn't make it sound like you are vandalizing everyone's computers.

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

10/10/2012 11:16 PM

@ Lisa Stevens: Thank you for your feedback to be more careful about using words that are not computer friendly.

Nan

10/8/2012 1:42 PM

What happens if you change your mind and want to remove the Sugru after it hardens?

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

10/10/2012 11:26 PM

@ Nan: A concern we all share. Jane, the creator of Sugru shared this in an earlier post. "You get very good adhesive bond to most materials, particularly glass, ceramics, aluminium, steel and hard plastics like ABS (laptops etc) and plexiglas. However if you do eventually want to remove it, if the surface is non-porous, you can.

Karen

10/14/2012 1:21 PM

This is amazing Jane. You are amazing Jane. Growing up my Grandfather was always fixing everything. Coming from the depression era you never threw anything away. Congratulations Jane!!

Branden

11/7/2012 12:46 PM

Hi Jane. I have been looking for something just like this to repair a leaky crack in my Brita pitcher. Do you think it would be safe to use for something like that?

Chew-Hoong – Grommet Team

11/7/2012 1:34 PM

@ Branden: You can fix pitchers, dishes and pans etc on the outside rather than inside. For example quite a lot of people repair or replace knobs on saucepan lids, or handles of mugs. Sugru is not toxic but not food-grade so you shouldn't use it in direct contact with food or drink.

Branden

11/7/2012 3:31 PM

@Chew-Hoong Thanks for your response. I see this answer listed earlier, and understand it shouldn't be in direct contact with something you're going to drink, I was just wondering if the external sealing of a crack that leaks water is considered too much contact.

Erica

11/7/2012 4:55 PM

Could I use it on the bottom of my metal stools? Although they have those plastic slides on the bottom, they are scratching my wood floor. The felt pads work when I place them over the slides, but they constantly fall off.

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/10/2012 4:31 PM

@ Erica - Yes this is a great use for Sugru. It may not slip as freely as your felt pad would, but still a great solution.

Marilyn Bucklin

11/7/2012 8:58 PM

I especially like the idea of using sugru on my kitchen chair legs. Those sticky felt "dots" just don't cut it! How many packets would I need for 6 chairs....and what colors mix to get brown? How do I get the same amount on each let so the chair remains level? Please consider the color use when suggesting the number of packets.

Katherine – Grommet Team

11/10/2012 4:41 PM

@ Marilyn Bucklin It sounds like you've got a project on your hands! You will need an even combination of red, blue and yellow to make brown. I would estimate that you will need 12 mini-packs for the six chairs. Getting them even will be a matter of trial and error. You have molding time when you are working with the putty, so you can set the chair down and make the adjustments you need before tipping the chair ends in the air to cure. Let us know how it turns out!